The mismatch between coverage and exposure is especially stark in Appalachia, where rainfall – not ocean waves – poses the biggest flooding threat and steep mountainsides funnel rainwater into narrow river valleys, said climate scientist Jeremy Porter at First Street risk consultancy.

The country has rallied around western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene left disaster-struck mountain towns and cities struggling to get the help and resources they need. As local teams have sprung to action,

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced it will be providing assistance for North and South Carolinians displaced by Tropical Storm Helene.